Driving box



Dec. 6, 1927.

H. S. VINCENT DRIVING BOX Original Filed April 5. 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VENTOR WITNESS Dec. 6, 1927.

H. S. VINCENT I DRIVING BOX Original Filed April 5, 9 2 2 Sheets-Sheet WITNESS Patented Dec. 6, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY S. VINCENT, OF BIDGEWOOD, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO FRANKLIN RAIL- WAY SUPPLY COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

DRIVING BOX.

Application filed April 3, 1922, Serial No. 548,938. Renewed May 20, 1927.

My invention relates to vehicle journal boxes especially suitable for thedrive wheels of locomotives. The invention affords a new .box construction which is simple and .5 rugged, and of moderate cost to manufacture; is cgnvenient durabk, and effective in use, and aflords' unusually good bearing for taking horizontal thrusts like the, piston thrust, for example; is easy to remove or take apart for repairs; and is free from serious drawbacks and-defects of boxes at.

present used on locomotives.

In journal boxes now used on locomotives,

the box has the form of an inverted U straddling the-driver shaft or journal, and carries the locomotive weight on its transverse upper member. The box is mounted and engaged to move up and down in vertical pedestal jaws in the locomotive frame,the

' 2 lower ends of the jaws being closed by aremovable part termed the frame pedestal, binder. The bearing surface in contact with the driver shaft isformed by a crown bearing piece (usually. of brass or thev like) '25 originally separate, but secured inthe box by forcing it thereinto'under heavy pre s sure,-so as to make it,."i'n effect, one part with the rest of the box until removed by a corresponding exertionof force. The 'face of the box adjacent the drive wheel hub has abearing surface for takingthe lateral or end thrust of this wheel,'-though this bearing area is'necessarily small, because of the construction. Between the. lower ends of the side members of the box is mounted a lubricator device or cellar for-supplying lubricant to the lower side of the rotating driver axle or s'haft,gwhich,device is re- 40 short intervals.

For reasons which it is unnecessary, 'to discuss, it is vfoundthat in service the side members of the boxare forced together and pinch in, whichtends to jam or bind the lubricator', and'is productive of other objectionable results. Both the initial insertion of the bearing crown'piece'. and its removal and replacement as required from time to time result in distortion and weakening of t-he box, and so tend to shorten its useful life. Being essentially one single member that must be removed from time to time, the unitary box and crown structure can only make contact with the upper half 'of the axle, so that. there cannot be any bearing movable .for replenishment; or cleaning at:

\ .tion similar to Fig surface below the center of the axle to help take horizontal thrusts. Moreover, either, 1

renewal of the crown piece or relining of the hub face of the box from time to time entails removing the entire box from the locomotive frame; and this, in turn, entails either dropping the drivers, or. some other tedious and laborious operation of analogous character.

My present invention not only obviates deformation of the journal box inservice and consequent lubricator trouble, but also permits easy, quick removal of the box without dropping the wheels. It makes possible.

ample lateral bearing surface at. the axlefor taking horizontal thrusts from the piston, for example, and allows'the crown bearing itself to be made independently removable for repair or replacement, without any necessity for removing the box as a whole. How these and. other advantages can be obtained in connection with my invention will appear from my description hereinafter of the best, embodiment of the invention at present known to me.

In the drawings, Fig. lgis a partial .sideelevation and section showing a ournal box embodying 'my, invention in place A in the pedestal of a locomotive frame,'the .view

' the lubricating arrangements being omitted.

' .Fig. 5 is a corresponding fragmentary plan view.

The box shown in the drawings com rises a box structure 10 having at its 'si es or limbs 11 and-12 the usual flanges 13, re viding grooves. The pedestal jaws 14 o the locomotive frame engage in these grooves and serve as guideways for u and down movement of the whole journal ox.

The box structure 10 here shown is of a general yoke or U shape; but mstead ofv eing inverted (as in the above referred to), the is arranged erect rior constructions about the axle 15, with the transverse member 16 a short distance beneath the axle. The structure is supported by being suspended (as it were) from the separate crown bearing structure, which in the present instance comprises-an upper bearing part or member 17 resting on the axle between the side members 11, 12, and also separate bearing parts or members 18, 18 at opposite sides of the axle extending substantially above and below its center, against the box sides. A bottomless sheet .metal lubricator. device or cellar 20 (shown as of the general Elvin type) is arranged in the box structure 10 beneath the axle 15, and its follower plate is urged upward toward the axle b a spiral compression spring 22 beneath it t at ishoused' in a recess 23in the member 16. The sides and thebottom of the box 10 are cut away or recessed to form transverse ridges or ways 24, 25 adjacent the top and the bottom of the lubric-ator or cellar 20:

. these ridges keep the cellar 20 in a definite position, yet offer little frictional resistance to its withdrawal at the open inner end of the box. At-one end, the follower plate has a downward projecting indicator rod 26 that normally lies in a vertical slot in the trans versemember 16. The cellar 20 maybe secured in place by means of a horizontal re tainer bar or rod 27 extending through enagement means in the form of apertured s 28, 28 on the members 11, 12 across the yo e opening at the inner end of the box 10, and itself secured in place by one or more ke s 29.

houlders 30 extend inward from either side 11, 12 of the box structure 10 at its upper. end, and the bearing member 17 has corres onding shoulders 31 which cooperate witht 1e shoulders 30 inthe support of the box structure 10 by the member 17. The member 17 is of such eneral width as to fit '(snugly but not tightly) between the sides 11,12 below the shoulders 30, while its upper portion is of such reduced width as to fit (snugly but not tightly) in the opening'between the shoulders 30: i. e., the bearing corresponds substantially to the internal width of the box 10. At the upper and lower ends or edges of eachmember 18v are central u ward and downward pro ectinglugs 32 a apted to engage and fit snugly in recesses 33 in .the lower end of. the upper member 17,. on either side, and in recesses 34 in the ridges 24 on the corresponding side members'll and 12. As shown, the upper and lower lu 32 lie behind shoulders on the member 1 and. behind the upper edges of the collar 20, respectively. By virtue of the lugs and recesses 32, 33, 34 and of the frictional engagement of the parts, the bearing members 17 and 18 cooperate to prevent movement or displacement of any of them in the box structure 10, lengthwisebf the axle 15 or otherwise. 1 The space beside the lugs 32 in the recesses 33 and 34 is suflicient to permit ample independent lateral. adjustment of the members 18 relative to the box sides 11, 12, either to secure initial snu ness firmly seated against shoulders formed by a the upper edges of the members 18, and the lower edges of the latter firmly seated against shoulders formed by the upper sides of the ridges 24,with the lugs 32 engaged in the recesses 33, 34. The adjacent faces of the shoulders 30, 31 are concave, and the opposite sides of the wed cs '35 are correspondingly convex, and t efaces of the shoulders 31 are inclined in correspondence with the taper of the wedges, as shown. The wedges 35 may be powerfullyforced home and held in place by tightening up nuts 36 on bolts 37 that extend through laterally projecting apertured lugs 38 on the ends ofthe wedges. The heads 39 of the bolts 37 lie in undercut recesses at the inner ends of grooves in the side members 11, 12. of the box structure 10. The load or weight of the 1 locomotive is freely receivedby the member 17, independently of the box structure 10, through the opening between the shoulders 30, 30 of the latter. As shown in Fig. 2, the member 17 has recesses 42, 42 in its upper vside for receivin corresponding projections on the spring sa dle (not shown). The box structure 10, therefore, isentirely unloaded as re'spectsthe vehicle weight, but on ages the vehicle frame and the member 17 eeps the bearing structure 17, 18 in position, and receives and transmits to. the frame the side thrust from the wheel." The members 18 transmit the horizontal fore and aft thrust from the journal or shaft 15 to the locomotive frame 14 throughv the box structure 10 independently of one another, as well as stresses due tothe tendency of'the bearing to turn with the shaft. y

The outer faces 43, 44, 45 of the box structure 10 and the members 17, 18, are .flush with one another, and affordbearing surfaces for engaging the driver wheel hub (not shown) and taking'the side or-end thrust from the wheel.

Since this bearing surface is on all of the parts 10 and 17, 18, and ex tends all the way around the shaft 15, it' is of greater area than heretofore possible in standard practice, so that the pressure-is more widely distributed, and the wear willbe more uniform and not so great. The

thrust bearing surfaces43, 44, 45 are; kept" the wedges 35.

accurately in alignment by the engagement of the lugs 32 in'the recesses 33, 34 and'by I These bearin surfaces 13, 44;,45 may consistof babbitt f acings or linings on the parts 10 and 17, 18, as shown.

' Itwill be seen that in order to remove the crown bearing structure from the journal box 10, it is only necessary to relieve the bearing of the spring tension and lift the spring-saddle (not shown) out of engagement with its recesses .42,- 42'; withdraw the wedges 35;- and drop the box suflicientlyto disengage the members. 18 therefrom at. 32,- 34. Having been disengaged from the box 10 by vertical displacement therein as just described, thewholebearing structure may be removed from the box by simply moving the same lengthwise of the axle 15. (Or,=by removing the shims 34", it may be possible to drop the members 18 sufliciently to per--' mit their separate removal before or after the member 17.) The entire lubricator or 1 cient to pass the shaft readily,

width than the. member 17 as a whole. E0.

cellar 20 can be removed" for repacking or cleaning without disturbing the wedges 35 or the members 17, 18, by simply withdrawing the rod or pin 27. The cellar 20 shown has, of course,- an end wall at its inner" end where the indicator rod 2-6 is, but is open for cleaning orrepacking (without any end wall) at its outer or hub end,the place of an end wall at this end being taken by the transverse flange or w'eb46 of the box struc I ture 10 on which is the babbitted bearing face 43. When the box structure 10 is to be removed from the locomotive frame in order that its hub face 43 may be relined (or for any other reason), it is only necessary to re move the bearing structure as just described, drop the frame pedestal binder 47 so as to open the lower ends of the guideways 14, and allow the box structure 10 to slide or drop down from the axle 15,-'the opening between the shoulders 30, at the upper end' of the box structure beingof width suitithough of less drop pit crane is required for removal of any or all the bearing parts, as 'ust' de? scribed; neither is it-necessary tov rop the wheels or' tov lift the locomotive .as a whole from its frame for such purposes.

'It will be readily'appreciatel that the provision of some separately movable means (such as the "members for holding or wedging the. bearing structure fast in the box 10 makes the removal of the bearing considerably easier than if (in the absence of V such engagement means as 32, 33, 34) the parts 10 and 17, 18 werethemselves adapted to wedge or interlock when the latter were pushed home into position. This is because such separately removable members .can be much more readily broken loose from the hold of the other parts than a relatively heavy member like the part 17 could be broken away from'the box 10 ifthe one were directly wedged into the other. as 1n the case supposed. It will also be noted that the load on the bearing does" not affect or bear on the holdingmeans 35 in anyway that might deform it or interfere with its I removal. 4

Owing to its facility of removal, the mem-' ber 17 can be made not only a unitary structure'butalso intrinsically strong and rigid enough to resist any tendency towardcrushing together of the box sides 11, 12 at their upper ends,-and, indeed, to maintain'itself substantially undeformed under practically any and all stress to which it can ever. be subjected in service. Not only can the parts 17, 18 be made quite massive, as shown; but their wearing faces for the axle 15 can be provided with antifriction linings 48 of babbitt or the like that. may require frequent renewal, but will reduce wear and avoid cutting of the journal; while the rest of it'can be made of bronze, steel, or other metal of ample strength. As shown, this babbitted bearing face 48 of the member 17 has a central longitudinal groove 49, which aids lubrication, and also makes the bearing pres-- sure more uniform and prevents the member.l7 from wearing flat as a consequence of 1ts tendency torock one way or the other ,on top of the axle 15 when the latter is revolving at high speed. And not only can the box structure 10 be made of any material preferred,'but distortion and weakening of the box such-as results from the pressing of crown brasses into journal boxes of the old type are entirely avoided.

"usual bearing metals about 8.5, a duralumin bearing with anti-friction lining'may have an average specific gravity quite unprecedentedl'y low. Owing to the bearing qualities of duralumin, no harm will result if the anti-friction lining should wear away so as to let the bearing proper come in' contact with the steel axle 'on the contrary, the bearing will run quite satisfactorily till it can conveniently be relined.

The integral characterv and mass of the crown bearing member 17 (as distinguished from the inserted brass crown bearing piece of the old journal box construction) makes Various aluminum alloys light' for the purpose (such the heat distribution and dissi ation better for my construction; WVhile t e causes of not really pass to the box at all, so that such a tendency can scarcely exist.

Moreover, the integral transverse member 16 of the box structure.efl'ectuallyprevents' pinching or crushing in of .thesides ll, 12 at the lower end of the box, and thus entirely obviates binding or crushing stresses on the cellar in any case. The liability of displacement or injury of the lubricator is minimized, owing to its protection from crushing stresses and to its being so definitely secured and kept in place.

In the construction illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5, the separate bearing parts or members .18 at opposite sides of the axle 15 extend from below its center upward and inward over the axle practically to the middle,'so

'' as to rest on the axle and perform the function of the part 17 in Figs. L3 in transmitting the load of the Vehicle weight to the axle, besides performing the functions of the parts' 18 in Figs. 1-3 in transmitting horizontal thrusts independently of one another. In addition to these members 18, the bearing structure here shown comprises i .an upper part of member 50, which freely receives the load of the vehicle weight and freely transmits it through the box opening at 30, 30,. independently of the box structure 10. As shown, this upper member, en-

gages'and rests on the upper ends of the 7 members 18, and maintains them in definite relation to one another without interfering with their independent lateral adjustment relative to the box sidesll, 12. The bearing members 18 have the lugs 32 at their lower ends, which normally engage in the recesses '34 in the box ridge 24, and prevent undesired endwise displacement of said members (lengthwise of the axle 15); while the'keys 35 normally engaged between the box shoul dersat 30 and the lateral shoulders 31 on said members 18 normally prevent .such

verticaldispla'cement of said members as will permit their removal by endwise displacement, and'wedgethe members fast in the box structure. Changeable shims or liners 34? may be interposed between the members '18 and the box sides 11, 12 as a convenient means of controlling the lateral ad'ustment of said members 18".

f desired, means of interconnection between the box sides lland 12 may be provided that will prove an additional safearge mass of metal in the base of the 5 may have vertically-undercut dovetail lugs 51 that slidingly engage the undercut walls of corresponding dovetail recesses 52 in the freedom of vertical movement above the shoulders 30.- Such' a connection affords bearing 1.8,- 18, and hence does not prevent the free transmission of weight load to the latter. Also, the part 50 is separately removable upward from the box structure 10, so as not to interfere with dropping the latter from the pedestal jaws in the manner already described in connection with Figs.

1-3. When-the box 10 is thus dropped, the 7 part 50 is left free for withdrawal lengthwise of the shaft 15. v

The horizontal division of the bearing structure as shown in Fi s. 4 and 5 allows the upper portion 50 (which has the recesses 42 and directly engages the spring saddle); to be made ofsteel, with ample strength, while the lower parts 18 may be made of light metal,-as already described .in connection with Figs. 1- 3. r I

Corresponding parts and features in Figs. at and 5 have been marked with the same reference characters as in Figs. 13, as a means of dispensing with merely repetitive description.

Attention is directed to the fact that the present application is a companion case to applicants application No. 548,939, filed coincidentally herewith. Certain of the features of the construction disclosed are broadly claimed in Esaid application No. 548,939, the present case being directed simply to the specific structure pointed out in the following claims.

I claim: I w

.1. A. vehicle axle journal box construction comprising a yoke-shaped box open at its upper end, and an axle bearing structure 1n the box overlying the axle and extending substantially below its center, and receiving and transmitting the load of the vehicle weight independently and exclusively of the box. v

2. A .vehicle axle journal box construc-' tion comprising a yoke-shaped box open at its .upper end, for engaging the vehicle frame, and an axle bearing structure i n ,the box overlying the'axle and extending substan'tially below its center; said. bearing the frame throu h the box,

load of the vehicle weightiindependently I and exclusively of the box.

. 3. A vehicle axle Journal" box construction comprising a yoke-shaped .box open at its upper end, and an axle, bearing structure therein comprising separateparts at opposite sides of the axle transmitting. horizontal thrusts independently of one another.

' 4. A vehicle axle journal box construction comprising a yoke-shaped box open at its upper end, an upper bearing member in said box, and separate bearing members at 'o posite sides of the axle kept from vertical displacement by engagement with said upper bearing memben. v

5. A vehicle journal box construction comprising a box structure for engaging the vehicle frame; an axle bearing structure in said box structure with separate parts at opposite sides of the axle removable by movement lengthwise thereof, and normally kept from such movement by engagement with the box structure, but displaceable to disengage them and permit their removal as structure; and means for normally preventing such displacement;

7. A vehicle axle ournal box construction I comprising an erect, uninverted yoke-shaped box, of internal width suflicient to pass the axle and thus bodily removable by dropping past the latter, and a bearing structure for engaging the axle and said box comprising separate parts at opposite sides of the axle. 8. A vehicle axle journal box construction comprising a bearing structure resting on the axle, with separate parts at opposite sides thereof transmitting horizontal thrusts independently of one another, and an erect uninverted yoke-shaped box, of internal width suiiicient to pass the axle and thus bodily removable by dropping past the latter, suspended from said bearing. structure at itsown open upper end.

9. A vehicle axle journal box construction comprising a box structure with a laterally shouldered opening at its upper end of Width sufiicient to pass the axle; a laterally shouldered axle bearing structure in said box structure comprising separate parts at opposite sides of the axle; and means interposed between theaforesaid shoulders of box and bearing structures for wedging the latter fast in said box structure. 1

1.0. A vehicle journal box constructioncomprising a yoke-shaped box having an opening in its upper end otwidth suiiicient to pass the axle, and thus bodily removable by dropping past the axle; separate bearing members at opposite sides of the axle; and an upper bearing member in the box resting on the axle. .11. A vehicle journal box construction comprising a box; separate bearing members at opposite sides of the axle, and an upper bearing member on the axle cooperating with said first-mentioned bearing members to keep them in. the box.

12. A vehicle journal box construction comprising a box; an upper axle bearing member in said box removable'therefrom by movement lengthwise of the axle; and separate bearing members at opposite sides of the axle, for transmitting horizontal thrusts, normally cooperating with said upper bearing member to prevent removal thereof "as aforesaid.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name.

HARRY s. VINCENT. 

